I've been through enough expansions (as well as beta tests for other games) that it should be old hat by now. I shouldn't be spinning in circles going "oooooh" and "aaaahhh" like a newbie. Instead, I should be able to calmly see all the new bells and whistles, give it a nod of approval, and continue on my merry way.

Right?

Wrong.

I'm sure that many of you have heard of some of the goodies from press releases by now: the ability to progress to level 70, unique new epic weapons, an AA ability to gain an extra spell slot, guild tribute ability, etc. However, since I started a more laid-back playstyle when I returned to EQ after a break, I still wasn't really sure if I was going to spring for this expansion before the tour started.

I don't know what I was expecting when Brenlo gave me my tour yesterday, but he and Ngreth can vouch for the fact that I was "oooh"ing, "ah"ing and outright cooing all over the place during the call and online tour, and I came out of it with lot more enthusiasm than I went into it. Looks like it's time to order myself an expansion. {grins}

Me and My Shadow

First, of course, I got hit with the eye candy. A quick tweaking of my options and suddenly I had a shadow! One that moved in realtime as I moved, changed angles based on light sources, and so forth. It may seem like a little thing, but it was the first omen that the new graphics interface that players have come to both love and hate has been taught some new tricks by the programmers at SOE. It was also only the tip of the graphical iceberg.

I was shown a lot of fantastic new art: from realistic-looking moss-covered walls, to mobs with fantastic ice and fire effects. (The frost spreading across the floor as one mob stalked after a hapless halfling was most impressive!) Mind you, none of the beasties that I saw were ones that I'd want to meet in a dark alley without a strong party behind me, but they put up with my ogling due to my escort at the time.

Even in the old world, there are a few new effects: air bubbles when you're underwater, being able to see small plumes of frost when you breathe the cold air of Halas, etc. Of course, if Brenlo hadn't reminded me to surface for air, I'd probably have done something silly and watched the bubbles until I drowned, but I've always been fascinated with the little details. {grin}

I've been told that the infernal chimera (which has the heads of both a lion and a bull, with a rather vicious snake for a tail), you will even get different sounds based on which of the three heads it is attacking you with at the time. However, personally, I'd rather not put that one to the test right now. The beastie looked like it would love to have a batch of hot and spicy toelings for an appetizer ... before it finished off the rest of me!

A new task system is also being introduced, for those who want be rewarded for a bit of solo work now and then. Apparently you'll be able to choose from three different lengths/difficulties of tasks, based on how long you want to spend on the task. The tasks will be tailored for not only your level, but also your class, since some classes solo a tad bit better than others. {grins and flexes tiny clerical muscles} Just the thing for when you're between adventures, or your normal hunting partners aren't around ...

By now, however, since this IS a tradeskill site, and that's what many of you are hoping to hear about, I am sure some of you are grumbling in your chairs, as I've not touched that which interests you the most. So, I'll just leave you with those few teasers and get on to the true meat of the matter ... or ice cream, as the case may be.

Augmenting Our Skills

I heard of several tradeskill goodies that made this wee tradeskiller drool and do the happydance. Custom titles based on your tradeskill mastery. (Oh dear, which one am I going to choose on whom?!) Tradeskilling AAs for other tradeskills to match the PoP jewelcraft mastery AA. (Hmmm, time to go get a lot more AA points!) Another AA, salvage, that gives a slight chance to not lose your tradeskill supplies on a failure. (!!!) And recipes ... oh, dear Bristlebane, the recipes! (Database gnomes, brace for impact, this is gonna be a doozie!)

Sorry, folks, you won't actually get to see those recipes until the expansion is launched next week, but there are goodies for pretty much everyone. I'm still trying to decide if I'm more excited about fluff like ice cream floats, or about player-crafted augments ... but you know how we halflings love our food and drink! {wink}

While there seems to be something new for every tradeskill, two classes of tradeskiller that often have had marketability complaints, are, in my opinion finally coming into their heyday. Poisonmaking and alchemy will have a {cough} few more marketable items than they did before, as they take basic player-made augments and make them significantly better. (Yes, I have a talent for understatement - only a "few". Just like that was a "small" train by a bard being chased by half the zone population ...) If you're the indecisive sort, you're going to have a hard time narrowing down your wishlist to just one or two of these beauties!

Yummy!

While I have permission to post this information, I don't want to spoil all the surprises in store for folks who get the expansion. Half the fun sometimes is the thrill of discovering things on your own. Hopefully, however, this will whet your appetites a bit for what's to come next week with the Omens of War launch.